Bharat bandh: Protesters clash with police, block railway lines as farmers, trade unions call for 2-day strike

Bharat bandh: Trade unions comprising over 20 crore workers are holding protests in various parts of the country today. The Central trade unions have called for a two-day strike to press for several demands including minimum wages and social security. Normal life could be severally affected due to the Bharat Bandh as protesters have started blocking roads as well as railways lines.  Left parties have also asked its affiliated unions to actively extend their support to the Bharat Bandh call given by these trade unions.

Also read: Bank strike: Banking services to be hit for 2 days as major unions hold nation-wide protest

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1.16pm: To ensure Sabarimala pilgrims were not affected by the strike, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation has been operating buses from various destinations to Pamba, the foothills of the Sabarimala temple. However, KSRTC buses were not plying on other routes, reported PTI.

1.16pm: Venad Express, which runs from the state capital to Shoranur Junction daily, was delayed by more than one hour as agitators squatted on tracks, blocking its route, and raised slogans. Other trains that were stopped here were Jan Shatabdi and Raptisagar Express, reported PTI.

1.10pm: Trains were stopped in Thiruvananthapuram, Tripunithura, Shoranur railway stations.

12.08pm: Bus services affected at the CSMT due to the indefinite strike by BEST (Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply & Transport) over demands of implementation of the merger of the BEST budget with principal budget of the BMC, employee service residences etc.

Mumbai: Bus services affected at the CSMT due to the indefinite strike by BEST(Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply&Transport) over demands of implementation of the merger of the BEST budget with principal budget of the BMC, employee service residences etc. pic.twitter.com/SXlTfiZDeB

- ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

11.44am: More than 20 lakh employees and workers of public, private and unorganised sectors in Telangana are expected to participate in the two-day nation-wide strike. "We expect over 20 lakh workers and employees of various private, government and unorganised sectors to participate in the 48-hour strike. Emergency service providers such as hospitals are exempted from the strike. Railway employees are not directly participating in the strike. But they will hold protest rallies at their respective offices during lunch hour," M Saibabu Telangana CITU General secretary told PTI.

11.35am: The visuals the 48-hour nationwide strike called by the Central Trade Unions from Karnataka.

#Karnataka: 48-hour nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions demanding minimum wages, social security schemes & against privatisation of public and government sector; Visuals from Hubli pic.twitter.com/Gr6so1MwTJ

- ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

10.50am: Banking operations Tuesday have been affected in some parts of the country as a section of employees refrained from work in support of the two-day strike call given by 10 central trade unions to protest against alleged anti-labour policies of the government, reported PTI.

10.48am: Here are the visuals of protests from Odisha.

Odisha: Members of Central Trade Unions hold protests & block commuters in Bhubaneswar demanding minimum wages and social security schemes among others. Central Trade Unions have called a 48-hour nationwide strike over several demands. pic.twitter.com/5LgEWntTEQ

- ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

10.47am: "The strike is quite visible in Assam, Meghalaya, Karnataka, Manipur Bihar, Rajasthan, Goa, Punjab, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Haryana -- particularly in the targeted industrial areas and different mines," Amarjeet Kaur, General Secretary of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), told PTI.

10.40am: Sporadic incidents of vandalism have been reported from parts of West Bengal. News agency PTI reported that stones were pelted at a school bus in Champadali area of Barasat in North 24 Parganas district. A government bus was also ransacked by strike supporters at Champadali. Protestors also vandalised a bus at Jamuria in Paschim Bardhaman district.

10.34am: Despite Mamata Banerjee's call for 'no bandh in Bengal', protesters have resorted to block railway lines.

West Bengal: Members of Central Trade Unions block railway line in Howrah demanding minimum wages and social security schemes among others. Central Trade Unions have called a 48-hour nationwide strike over several demands. pic.twitter.com/o4FvWpFWdK

- ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

p>10.25am: "I do not want to spend a single word on this. In West Bengal, we have taken a stand of not supporting any bandh. Enough is enough. In the last 34 years, they (Left Front) have destroyed the state by calling bandh. There will be no bandh," Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat.

10.15am: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday claimed that the trade unions-called general strike would have no impact in the state.

10.0am: Protesters block railway line in Guwahati, Assam.

Assam: Central Trade Unions have called a two-day nationwide strike demanding minimum wages and social security schemes among others; Visuals from Guwahati pic.twitter.com/vbcQfCKk9m

- ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019